Burial apparatus



Jan. 29, 1952 w. A. CANADAY BURIAL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1949 0: INVENTOR.

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A'I'TU RN EYS Jan. 29, 1952 w A. mom 2,583,628

BURIAL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 21 I N VEN TOR.

ATTD RN EYE Jan. 29, 1952 w. A. CANADAY BURIAL APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 14, 1949 INVENTOR. 2?: faxzaog/ ATTD RN EYS Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,583,628 URIA P ARA U Walter A. Canaday, Bridgeport, Nebr. lication e t mb r 14, 1.9% S a 1 09 4 c ims. (01. 27-46 This invention relates to burial apparatus, and more particularly to a mechanism for facilitating the placement of a casket on the conventional casket lowering device.

The object of the invention is to provide a casket placer which is adapted to be detachably connected to the side shafts of a conventional casket lowering device, the placer serving to receive and support the casket, and the placer adapted to be manually disengaged to permit'the casket to be deposited upon the lowering straps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a casket placer which includes a pair of frames that will accommodate caskets of various sizes, the casket placer including a simple manually operable locking means for maintaining the frames locked together so as to support the casket prior to depositing the casket on the lowering straps.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a casket placer whose parts move to an out of the way position when the casket is to be deposited on the lowering straps so as not to interfere with the lowering of the casket into the grave.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a casket placer which includes rollers for facilitating and enabling placement of a casket on the lowering straps without the necessity of having pall bearers precariously walking along the sides of the grave, and wherein the funeral director can disengage the casket placer by a simple manual movement to deposit the casket on the lowering straps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casket placer which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the casket placer. showing it in position upon a casket lowering de vice;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the casket placer;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the position of the frame members when these members are swung to a vertical position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing one of the fasteners for attaching the casket placer to the lowering device;

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevaticnal view with parts in section, showing the locking mechanism for connecting the frame members to gether; Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a portion of the locking mechanism; Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 5; Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the mechanism for actuating the lock;

Figure 11 is a sectional view showing certain constructional details of the assembly taken on the line |Ill of Figure 2;

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on theline l2-'-l2 of Figurel.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a casket placer for use in facilitating the placement of a casket onto a conventional casket lowering device prior to the lowering of the casket into the grave. The casket lowering device is of ordinary construction and includes a pair of spaced parallel end supports l0 and "II, there beinghorizontally disposed side shafts l2 and I 3 extending between the end supports l0 and H, Figure 1. The lowering device further includes a pair of spaced parallel flexible loweringstraps l4 and I5 which extend between the side shafts l2 and I3 and are connected thereto.

The device of the present invention serves to facilitate the placement of the casket'onto these I lowering straps and the placement device comprises a pair of casket supporting frames l5 and IT. The frame l6 includes a pair of spaced parallel end bars l8 and I9 and extending between the bars l8 and I9 and secured thereto, is a tubular brace member 20. Projecting upwardly from the end bar l8 and secured thereto, as by welding, is a bracket 2| which supports a rotatable roller 22. A similar bracket projects up? wardly from the other end bar IS, the bracket being designated by the numeral 23. The bracket 23 serves to rotatably support a roller 24 thereon. Extending between the brackets 2| and 23 and secured thereto, is a tubular brace member 25 which coacts with the member 20 to maintain the parts of the frame it in proper spaced relation. The frame I 5 is adapted to be hingedly connected to the side shaft I2 of the lowering de vice so that the frame IE3 can move to the position shown in Figure 3 when the casket is to be deposited onto the straps l4 and i5. For pror din t srivo alorhin d seemona spring 3| has one end connected to the clasp 28 and its other end connected to the hook member,

the coil spring serving to prevent the bent portion 29 from accidentally working out of theopening 39.

The other frame includes a pair of spaced parallel end bars 32 and 33 which are con;

nected together by means of a tubular brace member 34. Projecting upwardly from the end bar 32 and secured thereto, is a bracket 35 which supports a rotatable roller 36 thereon. 'A similar bracket 31 projects from the end bar 33 and the bracket 31 supports a rotatable roller38. A tubular brace member 39 extends between the brackets 35 and 31 and is secured thereto, the members 34 and 39 coactingto maintain the parts of the frame in proper spaced relation.

The frame includes a pair of 45 and 4| which serve to provide a pivotal connection of the frame I! to the side shaft l3 of the lowering device. A fastener, having the same construction as the fastener shown in Figure 4,

otally connects an end of an the sleeve 52 is adapted to receive the keeper carried by the bar l9.

A manually operable means is provided for disengaging the keepers from the sleeves 49 and 52 whereby the frames l6 and I! will swing to the vertical position of Figure 3. This means includes a chain 54 which has a ring 55 connected to one end thereof and the ring 55 is adapted to be gripped in the funeral directors hand when the casket'is to be deposited onto the lowering straps l4 and l5. The other end of the chain 54 is connected to a bushing 59 and a pin 51 piv- L-shaped link 58 to the bushing 56. A securing element 59 pivotally connects the link 58 to the bar l9 and a coil spring 69 has one of its ends connected to the link 58 and its other end connected to the bar IS. A rod has one of its ends connected to the link 58 and its other end connected to the keeper which engages the sleeve 52. v

The keeper 42 is moved or retracted at the same time that the other keeper is retracted or moved out of engagement with the sleeve 52 and for accomplishing this, a rod 62 is connected to hook members coacts with each of the hook members 49 and H 4| for preventing the frame from accidentally working loose from the shaft l3.

When the frames l6 and I! are in their horizontal position, as shown in Figures 1 and2, the

casket is adapted to be supported on the rollers 5 22, 24, 36, and 38. To maintain these frames in this position, there is provided a locking mechanism which is adapted to be controlled by the funeral director. The locking mechanism is shown in detail in Figures 5 through and includes a keeper 42 which is slidably positioned. in a recess 9 that is formed in the bottom ofthe end bar Is, there being a pair of fiangesat and 44 for insuring that the keeper 42 moves properly in the recess 9. A pin 45 is carried by the keeper 42 and the pin 45 is adapted to contact the flange 44 to limit forward movement of the keeper 42. Thekeeper 42 further includes a shoulder 45 and the keeper has a pointed end 41' A coil spring 48 is interposed between the shoulder 46 and the end of the bar |8 for a purpose to be later described. The pointed end 41 of the keeper is adapted to project into an open end of a sleeve 45}, the sleeve 49being adiustably or slidably arrangedon the bar 32. A flange 5|] is secured to the sleeve 49 and the flange 49 is adapted to be engaged by the pointed end 41 of the keeper. whereby pivotal or swinging movement of the frames I6 and I1 is prevented as when these parts are in the position shown in Figure 5. For

maintaining the sleeve 49 immobile in its ad justed position on the bar 32, a set screw 5| 'pro'- jects through the sleeve and into engagement with the bar 32.

Slidably arranged on the bar 33 is a sleeve 52, i

Figure i, there being a set screw 53 for maintaining the sleeve 52 immobile in its adjusted position on the bar 33. Slidably carried by the bar |9 is a keeper which has the same construc tion'as the previously described keeper-42721116.

the keeper 42. The rear end of the rod 92 is connected to an L-shaped link 63 and an elongated rod'fi i connects the link 53 to the bushing 55.

In use, the conventional lowering device is positioned over the grave as shown in Figure 1. Then,

the placement of the casket on the flexible straps I4 and |5 is readily accomplished by means of the device of the present invention. Thus, the frames l5 and H are arranged horizontally as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hook members 26 and 21 being arranged in engagementwith the side shaft l2 while the other hook members 49 and 4| are arranged in engagement with the other shaft l3 of the lowering device. The clasps 28 coact with these hook members to prevent the frames from accidentally working loose from the shafts l2 and I3 during pivotal movement of the frames. The device of the present invention eliminates the necessity of having the pall bearers walking precariously along the sides of the grave since the casket can be properly placed by positioning the casket on the rollers 24 and 38, or the rollers 22 and 36. Then, the casket can be readily moved longitudinally across the grave so that the casket will be finally supportedby all four of the rollers 22, 36, 24, and 38.- Now, to deposit the casket onto the straps l4 and |5, the funeral director pulls the chain 54. This results in movement of the rod 64. Thus, the links 58 and 63 are simultaneously pivoted to thereby retract the keeper 42 out of engagement with the sleeve 49 and also move the other keeper out of engagement with the sleeve 52. As these keepers are retracted, the frames become free to pivot or swing from their horizontal position to their vertical position whereupon the casket will be deposited on the straps l4 and |5,so that the casket can be lowered into the grave. Normally the springs 48 and 69 urge the pointed ends 41 of the keepers into their locking position of Figure 5. By proper positioning of the sleeves 49 and 52, the placement device can be adjusted to accommodate various sizes of caskets and the device can be extended to fit graves of different widths.

By using the device of the present invention, the funeral director can place the casket on the lowering device with ease and dispatch, no special tools being needed to accomplish this. Theeasket placer is simple in construction andllight in weight and can be. manufactured with ease and inexpensively.

What I claim:

1. In a burial apparatus, the combination with a lowering device including a pair of spaced parallel side shafts, and flexible straps extending between said shafts, of a means for facilitating the placement of a casket on said straps, said means comprising a pair of frame members mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, each of said frame members comprising a pair of spaced parallel end bars, hook members projecting from the ends of said bars and adapted to pivotally engage said side shafts, fasteners coacting with said hook members for looking said frame members onto said shafts, tubular brace members extending between said end bars and secured thereto, a bracket projecting upwardly from each of said end bars and secured thereto, a tubular member extending between said brackets and secured thereto, a roller carried by each of said brackets, and locking means for maintaining said frame members in horizontal casket supporting position.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 and further including manually operable means for actuating said locking means.

3. In a burial apparatus, the combination with a lowering device including a pair of spaced parallel side shafts, and flexible straps extending between said shafts, of a means for facilitating the placement of a casket on said straps, said means comprising a pair of frame members mounted for swinging movement about horizontal axes, each of said frame members comprising a pair of spaced parallel end bars, hook members projecting from the ends of said bars and adapted to pivotally engage said side shafts, fasteners coacting with said hook members for locking said frame members onto said shafts, a tubular brace member extending between said end bars and secured thereto, a bracket projecting upwardly from each of said end bars and secured thereto, a tubular member extending between said brackets and secured thereto, a roller carried by each of said brackets, locking means for maintaining said frame members in horizontal casket-supporting position, and manually operable means for actuating said locking means, said manually operable means comprising a chain having a ring connected to one end thereof and adapted to be gripped in a persons hand, a bushing connected to the other end of said chain, an L-shaped link having one end pivotally connected to said bushing, and means connecting the other end of said link to said locking means.

4. In a burial apparatus, a pair of spaced parallel side shafts, a pair of frame members mounted for swinging movement about horizontal axes, each of said frame members comprising a pair of spaced parallel end bars, hook members projecting from the ends of said bars and adapted to pivotally engage said side shafts, fasteners coacting with said hook members for locking said frame members onto said shafts, a tubular brace member extending between said end bars and secured thereto, a bracket projecting upwardly from each of said end bars and secured thereto, a tubular member extending between said brackets and secured thereto, a roller carried by each of said brackets, locking means for maintaining said frame members in horizontal casket-supporting position, and manually operable means embodying a chain for actuating said locking means.

WALTER A. CANADAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,963,267 Harder et a1. June 19, 1934 2,012,367 Wilkirson Aug. 27, 1935 2,040,220 Thomas May 12, 1936 2,267,324 Collings Dec. 23, 1941 

